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Show it I ' ,-;i'v;; "! " -'- " ' :. . - ,. .j, -- ' ' " - V.&''t - - " - : '- " '" . V v ' ' : :. "'" . . ' ' ' ' " - .: .- " - $ - - . t . " :- ' ' I " ' ' Above: Former racer Nicki Koch cruises down Assessment run Below: Unexpected first-day crowd caused bottlenecks at Prospector lift. -1 phuto by Randy Hanskal Ski season begins The Park City Ski Area celebrated the earliest opening in its 22-year history Sunday, thanks largely to a surprise storm which dumped 18 inches of snow on the resort Thursday morning. Although Sunday's skiing was limited to two lifts (the gondola and Prospector) and three runs, the die-hards were out in force. According to Ed Bowers, communications commu-nications director for the Park City Ski Area, more than 900 tickets were sold and enough season pass holders showed up to push the total well over 1,000. Another storm Tuesday night added 16 more inches of snow, bringing the total to 48 inches. Bowers said skiing was on packed and new powder. By Wednesday moming the resort had opened the Motherlode triple chairlift and increased the number of runs to 12, including Hidden Splendor, Powderkeg, Assessment, Mel's Alley, Sunny-side, Sunny-side, Parley's Park, Carbide Cut, Bonanza, and parts of Newport, Dynamite and Prospector. "Most likely we'll have more runs open by this weekend," Bowers said. "Hopefully we'll be open top to bottom by Thanksgiving." L. y i-i photo by David Hampshire |